Robbins Automotive
by piemakingdeadwaker
Summary: AU. Callie is a dedicated med student, destined for great things. Arizona is a talented mechanic who dreams of more. (Rating is subject to change.)
1. Starmist Blue

_I don't know how this happened, to be honest. I saw JCap and a car, and my mind went off with it. Thanks for all of the support, though._

* * *

"It looks _amazing_ ," Callie said, walking around to inspect the now pristine rear bumper of her 1957 Ford Thunderbird. "How did you find the color? Didn't they discontinue it ages ago?"

The tall, well-muscled mechanic with a military crewcut and sparkling blue eyes shrugged. "It beats me. I wasn't the mechanic on this job."

"Oh, well then can you bring him out so I thank him?" Callie asked. "I'd really appreciate that," she craned her neck to read the nametag on the man's shirt, "Tim." She flashed her most dazzling smile.

Tim turned away and cupped his hands around his mouth, so he could be heard through the expansive garage. "Hey, sis!"

A few seconds later, a captivating woman in a white tank top and tight blue jeans made her way over. Callie couldn't help but watch her blonde curls bounce with the woman's every step. She couldn't be the mechanic, could she? Callie had never seen a mechanic look like _that_.

"Hey, what's up?" She nudged Tim with her elbow, wearing a playful grin.

For some reason, Callie still couldn't seem to pry her eyes from the mysterious, perky woman. She had to fight the impulse to wipe the small grease stain from the woman's hairline. The blonde was positively mesmerizing.

"Yeah, this lovely lady here wanted to talk to you about the '57 T-Bird." Tim explained, gesturing towards Callie. "I'll leave you ladies to it." And with that, he went back to his workstation.

So the blonde was the mechanic. Callie found herself a little shocked at that. She certainly didn't look like any mechanic Callie had seen. There was something effervescent and ethereal about her. It was almost hard to believe she was real.

Arizona brazenly reached her hand out for Callie to shake with a dimpled smile. She also had sparkling blue eyes, an even deeper shade than Tim's. "Arizona Robbins."

Once Callie had gotten her bearings, she met the proffered hand. The electricity of the contact was startling, exciting every nerve in her body, leaving goosebumps on her skin. Touching someone's hand had never felt like that before. Her heart was racing. Callie felt like the conduit to a power surge. And that spark when their hands met – Arizona had to have felt that too.

It took a few seconds for Arizona to forfeit the intense staring contest. She looked at her pink floral converse as she absently scuffed them against the concrete floor. Arizona didn't believe in true love, or love at first sight, or soulmates, but she couldn't deny that this was the most profound and intense connection she'd ever shared with a perfect stranger. The woman before her was enthralling. She was an enigma, and there was something about her obsidian hair and ochroid complexion that made Arizona want to spend her life trying to decrypt her.

"Hi. Calliope Torres. No, it's Callie Torres. No one calls me Calliope besides my dad. And, I have no idea why I just said that," Callie rambled, shifting awkwardly with reddening cheeks. _Way to go Callie 'Verbal Diarrhea' Torres._

What Callie internally chastised herself for, Arizona found positively charming. "Calliope. That's a beautiful name," she said with a soft smile.

"You don't have to say that," Callie said with an awkward laugh. "It isn't. It makes me sound like some stupid ancient greek marble statue."

"Well, I happen to like stupid ancient greek marble statues," Arizona declared. "And your car. It's _super_ cool."

"Uh, thanks," Callie smiled. "It's my baby. I can't believe I let it get banged up."

"How did you manage that?" Arizona asked with a quirky smile.

"Oh, God, so I made a bet with my ass of a best friend, Mark, that I could handle more tequila shots than him – and I _can_ – but apparently I forfeited our bet because someone asked me to dance, and I really liked her, and I didn't want to make a bad impression by keeling over on the dance floor." Callie laughed softly.

"So, did it at least work out with the girl?" Arizona silently hoped that it didn't.

"No. It felt sort of mediocre once we got sober," Callie said with a laugh. "As most drunken hookups are. And Mark came to collect on the bet, and failed to mention that he didn't know how to drive a manual before he backed into a light pole."

Arizona tried to hide her smirk when she realized that the attraction between the two probably wasn't one-sided. "Oof," Arizona said. "I'd have killed him."

"Yeah, I wanted to," Callie said, rolling her eyes. "The idiot thought that a '57 Thunderbird had an automatic transmission."

"I mean, a two-speed automatic transmission was introduced as an option for the T-Bird in 1955, so he's not totally wrong," Arizona supplied. "But, it certainly wasn't standard, or even common."

"You, uh, know a lot about cars," Callie said with a laugh.

"I kinda have to. It's my job." Arizona smiled, gesturing to the bustling garage behind her. "Anyway, what did you need me for?"

"Oh, um, I'm just surprised you found the right paint color. Wasn't it discontinued?"

"Yes, it was, but you are in luck. A couple years back that this guy brought a beat up T-Bird to Tim and I for a total restoration, and he was ridiculously rich. So rich, he actually had a paint company custom-make more paint in starmist blue." Arizona laughed. "I remembered that there was some extra paint left from the job, and the guy didn't want it, so it's been sitting around in the storage room, and now some of it is on your bumper."

"Oh, wow! I, um– Thanks. But I should totally pay you back for the paint," Callie said, reaching for her purse.

"It's not a problem. We don't see Thunderbirds all that often," Arizona said with a laugh, running her hand along the smooth exterior of Callie's car.

The brunette couldn't help but noticed the way her muscular arm flexed when she moved it. She wondered what it would look like flexing in other settings, namely on her bed, holding that toned body above her. Callie then promptly dismissed that line of pondering.

"But I feel like I should do something. You went to all this extra trouble for me. There's got to be something I can do to repay you." Callie leaned against her car and smiled softly, her eyes drawn to glimmering azure ones yet again.

"Just come back here next time this beauty needs attention," Arizona said, laughing lightly. She was only half-referring to the car. "And, if you ever need someone experienced with a manual transmission to take it for a spin, you know where to find me."

"You'll definitely see me around," Callie replied.

Arizona looked at the clock hanging on the wall. "I've got to get back to work. I promised I'd have a tune-up done by four. But I– ...I'll look forward to seeing you around," she said with a flirty smile. She really didn't want to leave.

"Definitely." Callie nodded. "It was nice meeting you, Arizona. Thanks for making my car look good as new."

"My pleasure," Arizona said, making her way into the garage and to her work station.

Once Arizona – or, more accurately, Arizona's pert bottom – was out of view, Callie leaned back against her car, letting out a breath.

What the hell had just happened?

XXX

"So, what was up with the eye sex with that customer?" Tim hopped up onto the trunk of a car facing Arizona's workstation, adjusting his Robbins Automotive baseball cap.

"You noticed?" Arizona asked sheepishly from the hood of the car she was working in.

"Everyone in the building felt _that_ ," Tim explained, chuckling.

Arizona shook her head and rolled her eyes. "It was inappropriate, I know. It won't happen again."

"No, I, um, I have no idea what that was or how it happened, but she made you smile. You haven't smiled like that since... Well, since Joanne. And before her, you used to smile all the time. You were the smiliest person I knew, Zo." Tim shot Arizona a near mirror image of her dimpled grin.

Arizona cringed at the mention of her ex. "Don't call me that," she said, rolling her eyes, grabbing another wrench. "It wasn't all her. I grew up, Tim. It was time for me to stop skating around on heelys and talking about things that won't ever happen. It was time to face reality."

"Med school _could_ still happen," Tim said. "And facing reality doesn't mean giving up the things that make you, ...well, _you_. I miss the heelys, and I think any girl that can make you smile like that again is worth a shot. She could be good for you. Did you get her number?"

"Med school isn't going to happen. That ship sailed. I said I'd work here for a year at most, just to pull together some savings, and then I'd take the MCATs. Three years later, I haven't even began studying." Arizona closed the hood of the shiny red pickup truck and turned to face her brother. "And I didn't get her number, because I'm her mechanic. I doubt she'd be interested in me. She seems like she has better things to do."

"You'll never know what you're capable of if you don't even try. Just think about it. You're the smartest person I know." Tim shrugged, hopping off the trunk of the car. He hoped that maybe this time he'd get through to his stubborn sister. "And that customer sure seemed interested to me," he remarked, walking towards his own station.

So Arizona wasn't just imagining things?

XXX

Pulling into a spot beside her best friend's shiny black BMW, Callie grabbed her bag and phone from the passenger seat, and began walking towards the building for her next class. She found Addison leaning against the brick building, looking perfect, as always, in her oversized sunglasses.

"Have I told you how much I _hate_ psychiatry? Why on earth do we have to take this? I'm going to be a surgeon, not a shrink," Addison ranted, walking into the building with Callie.

"I can see why having a basic understanding of psychiatry would be helpful to a surgeon," Callie said, shrugging.

"Cal, you're supposed to be bitching about psychiatry with me, not being reasonable," Addison groaned with a perfectly manicured hand on her slim hip. "What's got you all happy, anyway?"

"What do you mean?" Callie asked.

"I mean you look _happy_. You're even walking happy," Addison grumbled.

"Walking happy? Is that even a thing? How does one walk happy?" Callie asked.

"Torres!" Mark called from behind the duo, quickly catching up with them. "You look happy. Did you get laid?"

"No! Why is everyone asking me that?" Callie rolled her eyes.

"You are walking all girly and bouncy," Mark explained.

"See, I told you it was a thing! So dish. Why are you so cheery?" Addison asked.

They walked over to the couches they always monopolized, down the hall from their next class.

Callie set her bag down and slumped into an armchair. "Nothing happened! I just got my car fixed. The mechanic, well, uh, they– they had the right paint, even though it was discontinued years ago. They did a really good job."

"Okay, I know you love your car a lot, but I'm not buying _that_ ," Addison said. "What, did you flirt with the mechanic?"

When Callie looked away with a blush on her cheeks, Addison smirked.

"The mechanic? Really, Cal?" Mark nudged her with his elbow, smirking. "You could do better, like a ruggedly handsome plastic-surgeon-to-be."

Callie laughed dryly. "Yeah, this," she said, gesturing between herself and Mark, "is never going to happen again."

"Don't look at me!" Addison exclaimed, when Mark looked her way. "So, is the mechanic hot?"

Callie couldn't help but smile. "The mechanic is very attractive, yes."

"You should bring him to Joe's on friday. Maybe see if you can take him home after," Addison suggested with a raised eyebrow, poking Callie in the arm.

"I'd probably do something different for the first date," Callie said, pulling out her phone to evade eye contact.

"Date? You're ready to date again after the whole Hahn incident?" Mark asked.

Callie set her phone down a little harder than she meant to. "Can we not talk about Erica, please? But yeah, it's been like five months. I think I should be over that by now." It'd actually been four months and 23 days, not that she'd been intentionally counting.

"But your mechanic, Callie? Really? I get that you're hurt and She-who-must-not-be-named probably destroyed your self esteem, but you could do better," Addison stated, examining her manicured nails.

"What is wrong with a mechanic?" Callie asked, putting a hand on her hip.

"Nothing _per se_. It's just, you're a highly educated, ambitious orthopedic surgery superstar in the making, from a highly educated, successful family. You could do a lot better than a mechanic. Besides, if you brought a mechanic home, your dad would tear him to shreds."

"When did you become such an elitist ass, Addie? Why can't a mechanic be educated and ambitious?" Callie started collecting her things. "Not everyone starts out with parents on Forbes' list, like Mark and I, or parents that are _The Forbes_."

"Look, Cal, I don't think she meant it like that," Mark reasoned.

"I really like the mechanic. We flirted. It isn't a thing! At least it's not a thing yet. I mean, I don't even have her number, and you're so quick to judge her!"

"Oh, she's a girl? We're speaking the vagina monologues again?" Addison asked. "The devil in prada wasn't an isolated incident?"

"Can girls even be mechanics?" Mark asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"Ugh!" Callie stood abruptly. "I'll see you around," she said tersely, walking away.

XXX

For the next three days, Callie found one reason or another to stop by Robbins Automotive. The first day, she bought an air freshener. The second day she pretended to have a question about whether a car wash could compromise the new paint on her bumper. The third day, she needed air in her tires. The real reason she was there, of course, was to steal glimpses of the enthralling blonde mechanic she couldn't stop thinking about.

And Arizona, of course, pretended not to notice, hard at work at her station. She couldn't have the brunette catching on that she spent all day glancing at the door, waiting for her to come in. If she didn't play hard to get, she'd be playing pathetic, single, and desperately enamored.

But today was Friday, and she had Saturday off. She didn't want to make Callie keep coming by, hoping she'd notice her, which she did, because how could she not notice a woman _that_ beautiful walking in? But still, it was time for this game to end. Callie wouldn't keep coming around forever if she didn't make a move.

When Callie entered the store and began pretending to look at windshield wiper model samples and air fresheners yet again, Arizona took a deep breath and did what she wanted for once. Not what she felt like she should do, or the only thing she could do. For the first time in a very long time, Arizona did something for herself.

"You could take me for coffee," Arizona said with a heart-stopping dimpled grin.

Callie recognized her voice, whipping her head around from the now-familiar air fresheners to find the beautiful face that had been pervading her thoughts for days. She couldn't stop the smile that broke out across her face. "I'm sorry?"

"When we last spoke, you asked if there was anything you could do to repay me for the custom paint. I really like coffee, and I'd really like to have some with you." Arizona's blue eyes were sparkling.

"I can definitely manage that," Callie replied, unable to shake the stupid grin. "When were you thinking?"

Arizona looked at the clock, pretending to give it serious thought. "How about now?"


	2. Bonfire Night

Wow! I am stunned by the response to the first chapter! Thank you so much for all of the reviews! I really hope this next one doesn't disappoint. I'm so sorry for the wait, but school comes first, and this semester was insane. Fortunately, I have officially finished for the summer, and am taking a few weeks off before I head back to work!

* * *

"What do you mean, you didn't kiss her?" Tim asked, taking a sip of his beer.

Arizona plopped down at the other end of the couch, turning so she could rest her feet on her brother's lap. "I mean, we didn't kiss. We just had coffee."

"You were gone for three hours. That's quite the cup of coffee," Tim remarked, glaring at the pink-polished toes perched on his jeans.

"It was a few cups," Arizona conceded, wiggling her toes to further irritate her brother.

"But, seriously? No kissing at all? Your dates almost always leave your room the following morning with epic sex hair. And now you have a date that didn't end with even a little smooching?"

"Smooching? What are you, five? Or seventy-five? No one uses that word anymore." Arizona laughed. "And it wasn't a date."

"It was totally a date. Did you see the way she looked at you?"

"She _looked_ at me?" Arizona asked, almost as if she had no idea how beautiful she was.

"Are you serious? She looked at you the way I look at an '65 Aston Martin DB6."

"You drool at that car."

"Exactly. She looked just about ready to devour you."

Arizona couldn't help but blush. "I'd probably have let her, to be honest."

Tim shuddered. "I was speaking metaphorically. I really didn't need that mental image. But, speaking of, um, eating things," he said, cringing, "you bailed on our taco plans for three hours of coffee with a pretty girl, so you should buy me pizza."

"Fine," Arizona grumbled, pulling out her phone to place the order. She then looked up at her brother with a lovestruck grin. "She really is pretty, isn't she?"

"You're gross already," Tim said, shoving Arizona's feet off his lap so he could grab another beer.

XXX

Callie rolled her eyes as she downed a shot of tequila. Hours breezed by as she got to know the blonde mechanic now occupying her every thought, only for it to be cut far too short by incessant texts and calls from Addison and Mark wondering why she wasn't at Joe's yet. They went to Joe's every Friday. They probably were worried that something happened to her. Still, Callie was annoyed with them.

She decided she needed another shot.

Mark slid onto the barstool beside the brunette, noticing the the three empty shot glasses beside her. "Slow down, Cal. You've only been here for like 15 minutes. You can't dance with hot chicks if you can't stay upright."

Mark had a point, but there was only one hot chick Callie wanted to be dancing with. Even though she was decidedly not there, she was all Callie could think about. Arizona made her head spin. It was probably due to tachycardia induced by the intense attraction and anxiety, which resulted in dizziness and near syncope, but even after they'd parted ways she still felt a little woozy. She could almost see that smile, and, God, those dimples. And her piercing blue eyes–

"How much tequila have you had, Callie?" Addison asked, plopping herself onto a barstool. "You're grinning like the cheshire cat."

Callie tried, but couldn't shake the smile for long enough to deny it.

"This isn't her drunk smile. Is it that mechanic? Did you sleep with her?" Mark leaned over with his elbow on the bar.

"You are obsessed with sex! No, I did not sleep with her. I was, however, getting to know her over coffee when you guys started spamming my phone. And, by the way, why does my phone now play _Whistle_ by Flo Rida when you call?" Callie glared at Mark.

"'Cause you blow my whistle, baby." Mark said with a suggestive grin.

Callie swatted him in the back of the head, knocking the smirk right off his smug face. "If whistle is a euphemism for what I think it is, I do not!"

"You used to," Mark countered.

"Fuck off, Sloan."

"Ooh, coffee? How did it go?" Addison asked, deftly changing the subject.

"It was great. Amazing, even. We were getting to know each other and then, out of nowhere," Callie looked pointedly at Mark. " _Whistle_ started playing, and when I tried to explain why you _wouldn't stop calling_ , she decided that she'd hate to keep me from my friends. So now I'm stuck here with you two, and not with a gorgeous blonde."

"She's blonde? You're going for another blonde?" Mark asked.

The brunette rolled her eyes and ordered another round of tequila shots for the trio.

"Are you going to see her again?" Addison asked, ignoring Mark.

"I don't know. I mean, I want to. I– I really want to. She gave me her number," Callie said.

"Text her!" Addison replied, reaching for the tequila shots.

Callie decided that after a few more rounds of liquid courage, when she was significantly less sober and inhibited, she'd take Addison's advice.

XXX

Halfway through a pizza and a movie, Arizona's phone buzzed.

 _Hi! It's Callie. I wanna see you again. Tomorrow?_

"Oh my god, she wants to see me again!" Arizona was beaming.

"Can you please stop squealing? I'm trying to watch a movie," Tim said.

"First of all, I do not squeal. Second of all, this movie sucks," Arizona huffed.

"Yes, you do squeal, and yes, it does suck, but ScarJo is in it so we agreed we'd watch it anyway." Tim finished off his second beer, opening a third.

"What do I do?" Arizona asked. "If I reply now, will I seem desperate?"

"I don't know. I'm not a girl," Tim replied. "And you are desperate."

"I am not desperate!" Arizona rolled her eyes. "I got drinks with a girl last week. I think her name was Sarah or Stella or something."

"Her name was Sierra."

"Whatever," Arizona said. "Wait, how do you know that?"

"Who do you think gave her breakfast? You're welcome, by the way." Tim looked smug.

Arizona shrugged. "That doesn't matter. I'm not seeing her again. What do I do about Callie?"

"You _really_ like her, don't you?" Tim tilted his head, watching his sister blush. "It's been awhile since you actually wanted to date."

"Date is a strong word," Arizona said, still trepidatious after everything with Joanne. "But Calliope is different. She's special."

"Well, I'm glad. Maybe she can reform you and you won't be such a floozy."

"Shut up!" Arizona pushed Tim into the couch by his shoulder. "But seriously, try to emulate your inner girl. Do I reply yet?"

"Look, Teddy will be here in the morning to drop Ollie off. We're having breakfast. You could ask her then?" Tim was at least trying.

"I can't wait that long," Arizona huffed. She decided to reply, desperation be damned.

 _Hey, Calliope! I'd love to see you again, too. When tomorrow were you thinking?_

"By the way, who is going to cook this breakfast? You and Teddy are helpless in the kitchen."

"Well, seeing as you're Ollie's favorite aunt…" Tim shot Arizona a pleading smile.

"I'm his only aunt." Arizona raised an eyebrow.

"Not forever. At least one of Teddy's brothers will get married someday."

"I'll see what I can do," Arizona said. Of course she would make Ollie breakfast. She loved her nephew and she'd just gotten a new cookie cutter so they could make rocket-shaped pancakes.

Her phone chimed.

 _I don't know if I'll be awake in the morning. I'm a little buzzzzed right now, tbh._

Arizona laughed, and turned the phone towards Tim. "I think I'm getting drunk texted," she said with a laugh.

"Are they dirty drunk texts?" Tim asked, biting into another piece of pepperoni pizza.

"No, definitely not," Arizona said with a laugh. "She said she was going to a bar with friends."

"That's no fun," Tim said, before turning his attention back to the film.

 _If we make plans, are you going to remember them in the morning?_

 _How could I possibly forget plans with the prettiest girl I've ever seen in my entire life?_

Arizona couldn't stop grinning at her phone. She didn't know why a simple drunken compliment from Callie Torres made her feel what could only be described as the human embodiment of the heart eyes emoji.

So she sent three of them along with her reply.

 _Oh, Calliope, you're very sweet. Lunch? Or is that too early?_

 _Lunch is great, and you are great, so its gonna be like the greatest._

Arizona couldn't help but giggle at that response.

Tim glared at her from the other end of the couch. Sure, he was happy that Arizona was ridiculously happy again, a state she hadn't been in for quite some time, but it was still a little annoying.

"Tim, look, she sent me a heart emoji!" Arizona was practically bouncing up and down.

Scratch that. It was a lot annoying.

XXX

Callie looked like crap. She had no idea why she agreed to lunch at noon when she stumbled through the doorway of her apartment at half past three the night before. She managed to get into her bedroom, and quickly fell asleep face down on her bed. She woke up in wrinkled clothes from the night before to find makeup smeared across her face and pillow and only 23 minutes before she needed to meet Arizona. She had half a mind to cancel, but the image of the blonde's blue eyes filled with disappointment convinced her otherwise. So Callie did her best to pull herself together.

As a daughter of a Marine, Arizona simply couldn't not be early. She'd been up since 7, filled with nervous excitement. Thankfully Ollie, with the energy of an almost four-year-old, kept her mind off things, and she kept him from noticing his parents fighting. Even though they'd split up soon after Ollie was born, Tim and Teddy were generally amicable. But Teddy was getting pretty serious with a guy who worked at the garage, Henry, and that was causing some friction. From what Arizona understood of her brother who'd never be caught expressing his feelings, Tim didn't want to be with Teddy anymore, but he wasn't okay with the idea of Teddy seriously seeing anyone else.

Arizona was trying to look nonchalant on her phone in the booth of the diner she chose, knowing that breakfast for lunch was her favorite option when she was hungover. Hopefully Callie would agree.

Everything with Callie felt different – like she was experiencing it all for the first time again. Arizona had a formidable dating history, but nothing had ever felt like this. Even serious relationships, which she'd sworn off years before, never started out feeling like this. It was overwhelming, and confusing, and terrifying, and for some reason she never wanted it to end.

But what if this ended badly? What if she had to move across the country to piece herself together again? What if something that started so quickly and with such intensity could only end the same way?

Every one of Arizona's worries vanished as she saw a sleepy looking Callie push open the door. She couldn't help but appreciate the dark jeans that hugged Callie's bottom as she scanned the room for Arizona.

The mechanic wondered if she'd imagined the twinkle in Callie's eyes as she caught sight of Arizona. Her smile would say otherwise.

"Sorry," Callie said, grinning and pulling off her jacket, setting it on the vacant side of the booth with her purse. "I slept late and I didn't really have time to pull myself together much."

Even breathless and frazzled, Calliope Torres was nothing short of miraculous.

"You could've fooled me," Arizona said with a dimpled grin.

Callie sat across from Arizona and took in the sight of her for the first time. She averted her eyes and fiddled with the menu a second later. Looking at Arizona, she'd concluded, was much like looking at the sun – overwhelming, consuming, blinding, and breathtaking. "You look, um, I–"

"I look different out of my work clothes. I know," Arizona said, surveying her own appearance. She adjusted the neckline of her dark blue blouse. "It's nice to get out of my work jeans."

"Do you have to wear jeans to work?" Callie asked, taking a sip of the coffee Arizona had ordered her. She even remembered how Callie took it, unsweetened with a dash of half-and-half. She smiled into her mug.

"Oh, absolutely. Jeans are a must. There's so many things I could scrape or cut my legs on. I'm supposed to wear long sleeves, too, but we live in Miami. I'm pretty sure I'd die of heatstroke if I did." Arizona took a sip of hot chocolate, and managed to get a bit of whipped cream on the very tip of her nose.

Callie tried to stifle a giggle. How could someone be so sexy and so cute at the same time?

"What?" Arizona asked.

"You have a little whipped cream," Callie said, hesitantly reaching across the table, her fingertips brushing across Arizona's cheek as she used the pad of her thumb to wipe her nose clean.

Locking eyes, Arizona shivered. Since when did the tip of her nose make her feel weak at the knees? Maybe it wasn't her nose. Maybe it was Callie.

"Got it," she murmured, keeping her fingers on Arizona's cheek for a few seconds longer than she should have.

"Thanks," Arizona said, catching Callie's hand as she pulled away, using a napkin to wipe her thumb clean before gently taking the hand in hers.

Arizona never liked holding hands. Her ex-girlfriend would take her hand as a public display of possession, like Arizona belonged to her. She didn't mean it badly and she had her own reasons behind it, but still the novelty was lost on Arizona. At least it used to be. Now, she couldn't seem to resist. Callie's hands were perfect. Her fingers were long and elegant, her nails painted dark blue.

They looked like excellent hands for surgery, among other things. Certainly quite perfect for holding. It felt easy.

They only parted hands when the food arrived. Neither of them felt the need to ask the basic small talk questions. There was no ice to be broken. Even the lulls in conversation were filled with stolen glances and blushes and laughs. It was a warm sort of silence.

They sat at the diner for a good couple hours. Callie talked about med school and Arizona talked about the garage. She also spent a good while gushing about Ollie.

Neither one of them wanted to part ways. Arizona offered to walk Callie to her car, and Callie took her hand like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Where's the T-bird?" Arizona asked, scanning the small parking lot.

"Oh, I took my Audi," Callie said, pointing to a black Q7 parked in front of them.

Arizona abruptly dropped Callie's hand and ran to the car. She began rounding the car to take it in from different angles. "Oh my God! I have such car envy. It's _super_ awesome."

"Um, thanks?" Callie replied, laughing at the blonde's excitement.

"How does it handle? I've always wanted to drive one of these things."

"Um, well, I guess?" Callie replied, watching Arizona gawk at her car.

"So you have two cars?" Arizona asked. The question of how a third year med student could afford two expensive vehicles was on the tip of her tongue, but it felt rude to ask.

"Yeah. The Thunderbird is a two-seater, and isn't practical. I drive my Audi more often."

"I suppose that makes sense," Arizona replied, running her hand along the shiny black exterior.

Callie leaned against the car, smiling at the blonde. "You can drive it sometime if you want."

"Really?" Surprise was written all over the blonde's face. Why would she let someone she just met drive her car? But then again, she wasn't exactly a stranger.

"Of course," Callie replied. "Plus you're a mechanic, so I'm sure my car will be in very good hands."

"I'd really like that," Arizona said with a dimpled grin.

"So, um, uh… Do you have any fun plans tonight?" Callie asked, not wanting to explain how she could afford two cars just yet. She didn't like talking about her parents' money, or her parents, for that matter. Not that they even were on speaking terms.

"Oh, um, actually, I do. My brother and I host a bonfire night in our backyard every now and then. It's pretty casual. We roast hotdogs, make s'mores, and hang out in the backyard. Sometimes people will play the guitar or we'll listen to music." Arizona explained. "Actually, if you're free, I'd love to have you."

"I'd love to go, but I promised my best friend, Addison, we'd do something tonight." Callie's face fell. She'd much rather spend time with Arizona, but Addison would not take a cancelation well. And the thought of facing Arizona's friends was a little daunting. What if they didn't like her? What if everything would just end before it began? "We'll probably end up on my couch with some wine."

"I get it. My brother was a little annoyed that we went for coffee yesterday. He had no one to get tacos with," Arizona said, rolling her eyes with a light laugh.

"Oh, I, um, I didn't know you had plans. We didn't have to get coffee yesterday. We could've gone some other time–"

"Calliope, I made a decision. Coffee with a lady always outweighs tacos with Tim, especially if that lady is as," Arizona paused for a moment, tilting her head and staring into Callie's eyes, "...beautiful as you are."

Between Arizona's compliment and her intense gaze, Callie had to lean against her car to keep her knees from buckling. "I, um.." Callie was moving her mouth, but she just couldn't seem to produce words.

"I should get going. But why don't you bring your friend – Addison, right?"

"Um, I– Yeah. Okay," Callie said, still leaning against her car.

"Super!" Arizona chirped. "I'll text you the address." Arizona brushed her fingers against Callie's as she made her way to her silver Jeep Wrangler. She waved as she got in, and once Callie's knees managed to cooperate, she got into her car.

When the thought of what, exactly, she'd committed her best friend to that evening sunk in, Callie banged her head against the headrest. Callie was by no means outdoorsy, but Addison Adrianne Forbes Montgomery was at a whole different level. And her best friend at a bonfire, hosted by an amazing girl she really wanted to impress, sounded like a recipe for disaster.

What had she just gotten herself into?

XXX

"I can't believe you dragged me to this. You owe me, Callie. Next time I go shopping, you don't get to bail." Addison was adjusting her hair.

Callie nodded, pulling into a small neighborhood. As awful as shopping with Addison was, for Arizona, it was worth it.

"You're not putting up a fight? Wow. She must be special."

Callie couldn't help the smile that creeped up her face, keeping her eyes firmly ahead in hopes that Addison wouldn't notice. "She is really special."

Turning onto Arizona's street, Callie found house 1023, and pulled up against the sidewalk, putting the car in park. There were maybe half a dozen other cars at the house, along with Arizona's silver Jeep Wrangler, which she recognized from the diner parking lot. The house looked small, but it was pretty, painted grey with a white trim and white shutters. There was even a front porch with a porch swing.

Callie made no move to exit the Audi. Rather, she turned towards Addison who was busy inspecting her mascara in the visor mirror.

"What?" Addison said. She didn't need to turn her head to feel Callie's gaze.

"Please behave tonight. I know you don't want to be here, but I really like her, Addie."

"Callie, I have some semblance of tact." Addison looked offended.

"Okay, so no rude comments about mechanics or making fun of this lovely, normal-people house?"

Addison rolled her eyes. "You have my word."

"Good. Shall we?"

Callie exited the car and grabbed the flowers she'd gotten from the back seat, Addison quick on her heels.

After ringing the doorbell, Tim, Arizona's brother opened the door. He looked good out of his work clothes, wearing a pair of cargo shorts and a USMC tee shirt that displayed his impressive biceps. They didn't go unnoticed by Addison.

"Hey! Callie, right? Come on in." Tim shook Callie's hand, with a dimpled smile eerily similar to Arizona's.

"Yes, and this is my best friend, Addison," Callie said, gesturing to the redhead. "Addison, this is Arizona's brother, Tim."

"It's nice to meet you, Addison," Tim said.

He reached his hand out for Addison to shake, but her eyes were transfixed at his musculature. Callie had to nudge her to get a reaction.

"You, too. It's _very_ nice to meet you."

"Help yourselves to drinks. I am guessing those flowers are for Arizona. I think she's out back," Tim said, gesturing to the door just past the kitchen with a smirk.

Callie quickly grabbed Addison by the elbow, speed walking to the back door. She turned towards her best friend. "How do I look? Hot?" Callie shook out her wavy hair.

"Yes. Very," Addison said dismissively. "You neglected to mention that her brother looked like a Ken doll come to life." The redhead craned her neck to catch a glimpse of him.

Callie shrugged. "I'm more into Barbie, I guess."

Sliding open the glass door, they found some guests chatting with drinks in hand. Callie quickly spotted Arizona on the opposite end of the patio, arranging bottles in a cooler. Callie waved at her with a dumb smile plastered across her face.

Arizona's face lit up the minute she caught sight of Callie. "Calliope! You made it," she said, making her way towards them.

Callie wasn't sure how to greet the blonde. Did she want her friends knowing Callie was something more? Was she even something more? Or was she just misreading the situation?

She decided to awkwardly hold the flowers out in front of her. "These are for you."

That question was answered when Arizona accepted the flowers, and stood on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on Callie's blushing cheek. "They're beautiful," Arizona murmured, sniffing the colorful bouquet.

They were not nearly as beautiful as Arizona.

Callie didn't realize she'd voiced that particular thought until Arizona blushed back at her.

"You're very sweet," Arizona said softly.

They were thrown back into reality when Addison cleared her throat.

Callie had forgotten that her best friend was there. When she was looking at Arizona, it felt like they were the only people in the world.

"Oh, sorry! I'm being an awful host. You must be Addison," Arizona said, shaking the redhead's hand. "It's so nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Addison said, before pointedly smirking at Callie.

"Oh, Callie mentioned you guys like wine," Arizona said. "I got a bottle of white, red, and rosé because I wasn't sure what you liked. They're over there," she said, gesturing to the cooler.

"You didn't have to go to all that trouble. Beer is fine," Callie replied. Her eyes were transfixed at the way Arizona's hair looked in the sun. It was almost golden.

"Speak for yourself," Addison said. "I don't drink fermented wheat water."

Callie shot Addison a death glare, but luckily Arizona didn't even react to her comment.

"I've got to put these lovely flowers in some water," Arizona said. "Care to join me, Calliope? I can even give you a tour."

"That sounds awesome."

Since when did Callie Torres say awesome?

Callie realized Arizona had said that in an attempt to get her alone, but they had no such luck. Addison wasn't leaving the brunette's side.

"Oh my God, she's so perky," Addison whispered into Callie's ear. "And you're an awkward mess around her." The redhead clearly found the whole situation amusing.

Callie rolled her eyes as they followed Arizona into the kitchen.

The night continued on like this, with Addison obliviously third wheeling. At every opportunity, she seemed to insert herself between Callie and Arizona – literally. She found herself a seat right between them on the wicker outdoor couch.

Oddly enough, Callie and Addison recognized some of Arizona's friends from med school. Owen Hunt and Teddy Altman, also third years, apparently served in Iraq with Tim, and they worked in the garage part-time. Teddy was dating Henry, who she met at the garage. He was a minor league baseball player and worked as a mechanic to pay the bills. Then there was Owen's girlfriend, Cristina, who was a first year med student, and Alex, another first year who just started working at the garage part-time.

The group did seem surprised, though, to see Arizona bring a girl to meet everyone. Apparently Arizona had a bit of a reputation as a player, though she vehemently denied that and promptly shut down that line of conversation.

Callie took it as a compliment that maybe she was different. Arizona was unlike anyone she'd dated before. Callie certainly hadn't had such intense feelings for Erica only days after meeting her, or, come to think of it, ever. Erica lacked emotional availability, and Arizona was simply extraordinary.

Beer and hard cider was passed around, or wine, in Addison's case, as Tim and Owen tended to the bonfire. The redhead even agreed to eat a hot dog. She'd vehemently insisted she wouldn't eat something so disgusting, but when Tim came over and offered to show her how to position the metal stick over the fire with his sculpted arms, she made an exception.

"I told Tim to distract her," Arizona said, scooting closer to Callie on the outdoor bench. "I wanted to get you alone. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," Callie laughed. "I've been trying to get her to go away for the last hour and a half. But, do we need to worry about that? She's not sober so I can't be held responsible for anything she says." Callie gestured to a buzzed Addison, who was clearly flirting with Tim, and it seemed he was flirting back.

"I don't think so," Arizona said softly. It'd gotten dark and Arizona noticed that Callie was trying to keep her arms warm. "Here," She said, grabbing a fleece blanket from the table beside them and draping it over both of their shoulders.

Thanks," Callie said, wrapping an arm around Arizona hesitantly. She wasn't quite sure if she was supposed to do that, but when Arizona rested her head on Callie's shoulder, she relaxed. Being so close to the blonde was almost overwhelming. She smelled like flowers, vanilla, and something intoxicatingly Arizona. Her heart was racing, and she was sure Arizona could hear it.

"He's single, and he said he thinks she's hot," Arizona said.

It took a minute for Callie to realize Arizona was talking about her brother and Addison. "Addison has been staring at him since we got here," She said with a chuckle. "She's single, too. She had a messy break-up a few months ago."

"Those are rough," Arizona said, with a distinct sadness.

Sadness looked so alien on Arizona's face. It was almost as if the emotion clashed with her near-porcelain features.

"You sound like you know that from experience," Callie suggested. She didn't want to pry, but she wanted to make Arizona happy, because her smile, Callie realized, cheered her up more than cancelled classes and x-rays and dancing in her underwear. So if hearing about the blonde's past relationships was necessary, it would be worth it.

"I think we should stop talking about my gross brother. I'd much rather talk about you," Arizona said, plastering on a layer of fake enthusiasm. She laid her hand on Callie's thigh, which made the brunette gulp.

"I, um... What about me?"

"So, Addison seems…" Arizona's voice trailed off.

"It's okay. You can totally ask me why I'm even friends with her. She has been a bit of an ass tonight."

"I wouldn't say an ass. She just seems, uh, ...high maintenance."

Callie chuckled. "Oh, trust me, she is. But I'm cutting her some slack. Things have been rough since her break-up. She cheated on her boyfriend, Derek, with our other friend Mark, who is Derek's best friend, because Derek was getting close to a first year he was tutoring. Meredith, the first year, is now his girlfriend, and Addison is not dealing well."

"Are you talking about Meredith Grey?" Arizona asked.

"Yes, actually," Callie replied, furrowing her brows. "Do you know her?"

"She is Yang's best friend," Arizona said, pointing to Cristina. "She's mentioned a Derek once or twice. I think they call him McDreamy."

"Well, we seem to have some friends in common," Callie laughed. "Mark has since been dubbed McSteamy."

"Oh, and what are you? McGorgeous?" Arizona bit her lip.

Callie was sure that Arizona's blue eyes twinkled brighter than the stars above them, and, for a second, she forgot to breathe.

"I, um, I don't have a nickname, or, uh, McName," Callie managed. "But, I, uh, I like that one."

"It suits you." Arizona murmured, and leaned in closer.  
Callie couldn't stop staring at Arizona's soft, pink lips. They looked extremely kissable. That's what Arizona was going for, right? A kiss? Her heart was pounding.

Before Callie could find an answer, Addison came over, ungracefully tapping Callie on the shoulder, too wrapped up in herself to notice the fact that she was interrupting something. "Apparently that one is best friends with Derek's whore," Addison announced, clearly drunk, pointing at Cristina. She started to sway.

Tim put his hands on Addison's shoulders to steady her. "I think she heard them talking about Derek, who I gather is her ex?"

Callie nodded before looking at Arizona apologetically.

"I used to be Derek's whore," Addison whined. "Well, not a whore. I did sleep with his best friend, though…" Addison turned to face Tim. "Does that make me a whore? Or would I be a slut?"

Callie desperately wished Addison would stop talking, before she ruined Callie's chances with Arizona and seriously offended Tim.

"I don't think you're a whore or a slut, for what it's worth." Tim said, brushing a piece of red hair from her face.

"I should get her home," Callie said, clearly disappointed.

Tim, catching the look Arizona was giving him, wrapped his arms around Addison's shoulders. "I got this. Which car is it?"

"Oh, it's an Audi Q7. And it is insanely beautiful," Arizona answered, not taking her eyes off of Callie.

"Keys?" Tim held his free hand out.

Callie tossed him the keys, and they began walking towards the house. "I'm so, so sorry," Callie said, looking embarrassed.

"Don't be. I just wish you didn't have to go," Arizona said softly, stepping closer to Callie.

The brunette's breath hitched in her throat. "Me too."

Just as Arizona began to lean up on her tiptoes to find Callie's lips, they heard a crash from inside the house.

Addison's timing was infuriatingly impeccable.


	3. Pink Fiberglass

Hi! So I finally updated. I've been working on this for months, but life got in the way and inspiration was running low. Anyway, thanks for sticking with me. I am neither a mechanic nor a doctor, and I own nothing. Like seriously. Even my car isn't in my name.

* * *

Tim slowly unlocked the back door leading into the kitchen. Arizona had suggested he make himself scarce for the night because she planned inviting Callie home with her after dinner. However, she didn't specify what time Tim ought to come back the following morning. He figured ten was a good bet, but he was being careful anyway.

Upon entering, he found Arizona in a black robe, leaning against the granite countertop on the kitchen island. She was staring into her cup of coffee, unmoving.

Arizona and Callie had been communicating almost constantly over the past two weeks. Texting and phone calls had to suffice because between their schedules, they'd only managed to see each other in person twice. They'd progressed to some kissing, but neither one of them made a move to take things further, though it was clear that this couldn't be attributed to a lack of attraction. It was more of an unspoken agreement to take things slow. To do things properly.

But taking things slow could only go on for so long, and a perfect opportunity seemed to arise when Callie asked her out on a fancy date night, insisting she'd plan everything. Then it went up into flames, and she came home at 9:30 the night before, very much alone and in a rotten mood that she still hadn't shaken off.

"Hey," Tim whispered. "How did everything go?"

Arizona startled as she was pulled from her thoughts. She hadn't even noticed her that brother had come home. "What do you mean?" Arizona asked at a normal volume.

"You know… So, where's your _friend_?"

"What friend?"

"You know. _Callie_." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Arizona just shrugged.

"So last night didn't–"

"Last night was fine." Arizona snapped.

"I, um… So she didn't stay over?" Tim asked cautiously.

"Does it look like she stayed over?"

Tim looked around the room. "Um, no, I guess."

"Astute job there, Sherlock." Arizona deposited her now-empty mug in the metal sink. "Really, you've outdone yourself."

"What the hell, Arizona? I stayed over at Hunt's so you could have the house all to yourself. You don't need to be an ass." Tim poured himself a cup of coffee, leaning against the countertop opposite Arizona.

Realizing Tim was a mere innocent bystander to her foul mood, Arizona softened and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry."

"So, you guys didn't come back here after dinner?" Tim asked.

"We were gonna, but ...we went to dinner and things didn't– ...I wasn't in the mood."

"What happened?" Tim asked. "Did she do something? Do I need to talk to her? I won't hit a girl but I'm not above scaring the living shit out of her when it comes to my baby sister."

Arizona let out a defeated laugh. "It just– I realized that we're very different. More different than I thought. I don't think it's going to work out."

"Why would you say that?" Tim asked.

Arizona sighed. "We just come from different worlds. I think she needs more than I can give her."

"I doubt that's true." Tim smiled softly. "You're amazing, and any girl would be lucky to have you."

"First of all, you're biased. And second of all, even if that is true, I don't want just any girl. I really, really liked Callie. I can't get her out of my head. I don't know why this time it feels so different."

"Because you two have a connection," Tim replied. "She seemed to really, really like you."

"Yeah, but I'm a mechanic and she's an heiress. It's inevitably going to end in heartbreak. I might as well save myself the pain." Arizona pulled her robe tightly around her. "I've got some work at the garage, so I'm going to go get changed. I'll see you later."

"Heiress? Care to elaborate?" Tim called after her, but Arizona either didn't hear him or didn't want to talk about it.

XXX

A knock on the door interrupted Tim's viewing of the Baltimore Ravens game. He wasn't all that surprised to find Callie standing on the doorstep. "Hey, come in," he said, holding the door open.

Callie smiled tightly, half-stepping into the foyer and shifting her weight from foot to foot. "Sorry to just show up. It's crazy, I know. I mean, I must seem like a crazy stalker. Which I'm not, of course. It's just Arizona won't answer my texts and calls and I was wondering if she was home." Callie was clearly distraught.

"Unfortunately she isn't. She's at the garage. She was, um ...in a mood this morning." Tim walked towards the living room, stopping by the kitchen. "Can I get you a drink? Water? Soda? Beer? Arizona may have gotten some juice, too."

"I'm good. Thanks." Arizona had mentioned a little about their strict upbringing with _The Colonel_ , who the mere notion of filled Callie with dread. She could see in both of them that manners like these were second-nature. Growing up a Torres, that was the butler's job, so she often forgot to be considerate.

Tim flopped back onto the couch and muted the TV. "What happened last night, if you don't mind me asking?"

Callie looked around. She'd been here once since the bonfire night, but she didn't really pay much attention to anything beyond the fact that Arizona was a really, really good kisser. The house was very traditional and very pastel. It didn't look overly feminine but it certainly looked cheery. Like an Easter basket.

She sat on the opposite end of the couch, picking at one of her fingernails. "That's the problem. I have no idea what happened. We went to a really nice French place and she ordered a salad, didn't eat it, and then left. She hardly talked, too. And she hasn't returned my calls or texts since. Does that make any sense to you?"

Tim shook his head. "It doesn't, but to be fair, the inner workings of Arizona's mind have never made much sense to me. You probably should talk to her in person."

"I've been trying." Callie chuckled awkwardly.

Tim looked directly at Callie, his head tilted pensively. It was disconcerting. "You know what? You can just head over to the garage. I'll write down the code to unlock the door for you."

"I– Um, are you sure?"

"You just said you weren't some crazy stalker. I'm taking your word for it." Tim smiled and Callie's heart sank at the sight of his dimples. They were just like Arizona's. What if she'd ruined everything?

"Thanks," Callie said, still nervous.

"Well, you make my sister smile. And that isn't easy to do, so I think you're good for her." Tim grabbed a pad of sticky notes and a pen from the decorative ceramic bowl on the coffee table. "Just don't hold me responsible for anything she says or does." Tim was only half-kidding. Arizona didn't tend to voice her feelings until they bubbled over and then there was no telling what kind of damage they could do.

"Y-you don't think she just doesn't like me anymore, right?" Callie's insecurities were obvious. "Because she let me think I had a chance, and there's nothing worse in the world than thinking you have a chance when you really don't."

"Look, Callie," Tim said, "I can't read my sister's mind but I know that a girl hasn't made her smile like this in a long, long time. Does that help?"

Callie smiled softly. "Yeah. Thanks, Tim."

Tim just started whistling Matchmaker, Matchmaker from Fiddler on the Roof with a smug grin.

XXX

Arizona swung a heavy rubber mallet at the car door suspended from a lift. It was a Sunday, so the garage was officially closed, but Arizona's Saturday work had piled up, and honestly she needed some quality time with some twisted metal and mallet. She hit the door again, harder.

"What went wrong last night?"

Arizona jumped, instinctively looking towards the voice, not expecting anyone to be there. She certainly wasn't expecting Callie to come barging in, choosing precisely the most inopportune moment because she was wielding a heavy mallet.

"Fuck," Arizona muttered, realizing that her brief inattention had caused the mallet to hit her left hand. Callie said something, it sounded like an apology, but she wasn't really listening. She pulled her numb hand away and watched as blood dripped down the metal for a moment, stunned.

"Here." Callie acted quickly, handing Arizona some paper towels from her work station. "You need to hold pressure."

Arizona spun around and took the proffered paper towels without meeting Callie's eyes. She was angry and embarrassed and most of all confused.

"Can I take a look?" Callie said softly after moments passed. While she wasn't a doctor yet, she was more than halfway through medical school and that looked like a nasty injury. The cut certainly needed some disinfecting, and probably a tetanus shot and stitches. And she would definitely need some x-rays.

"It's fine," Arizona quickly answered, pulling her hand close to her chest. "What are you doing here?"

"I stopped by your house but you weren't home. Tim said you'd be here," Callie said. "He gave me the code for the door."

Arizona rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm kinda busy here, Callie. I have another dented door to get through and I need to fix a transmission by tomorrow morning." She grabbed more paper towels, realizing that her fingers had bled through the previous wad. "Damn it," she muttered, biting her lip.

"I'm kinda busy, too," Callie said, setting a hand on her hip. "I have a paper to finish for psychiatry and a test in neurology tomorrow. So what went wrong?"

Arizona shrugged, averting eye contact.

"We went out to a four-star restaurant, the best in Miami. It was supposed to be fun and romantic. But then you ordered a salad when they make the most delicious french food, and then you picked at it, you barely spoke to me, then bolted. So what went wrong? I mean, did ...did I do something?"

Arizona slumped into the desk chair at her station, wincing as she held pressure on her hand. It started to throb. "I just wasn't feeling it. I was exhausted. Tired. Sorry."

Just moments after she sat the phone at the reception desk across the room rang. With a grunt, Arizona stood and walked over to the front desk to answer it. A long time customer needed work done on his F-250, so she found the soonest available appointment and relayed the details.

Callie spoke again just as Arizona put the phone down. "You said you were tired and exhausted, but you can't be that exhausted if you're working on your day off."

"I rallied." Arizona replied, awkwardly entering the appointment information into her calendar with one hand.

"You rallied?"

"Yeah."

"You're lying." Callie was getting annoyed. She'd run through the prior evening in her head countless times. She had no clue what went wrong.

"No, I'm not lying. I love the garage." The phone rang again. "Yes, yes… Does 3:00 PM work for you? ...Thanks." She hung up the phone.

"You love the garage?"

"Can't get enough of it. It's fun," Arizona said, walking back towards her station, sinking back into her leather rolling chair and inspecting her still-bleeding fingers, her bottom lip going white between her teeth as she grimaced. She tossed the blood-soaked paper towels into the trash and replaced them with more.

"I just want you to know that I'm hurt," Callie said, coming around the car at Arizona's station to face her. "I am hurt and I am angry because I thought that we had something. I thought that we were going somewhere. If you're just sleeping around, if you're just making the rounds of gay girls in the area, then I think that you ought to know that I–"

"We went to a fancy restaurant." Arizona stated, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"What?"

Arizona sighed. "We went to a fancy restaurant – the nicest restaurant in Miami. The salad that I ordered, _the_ _salad_ , cost $26.95. The wine that you ordered cost $125 a bottle. I didn't even look at the entrees because I knew I wasn't gonna be able to order one, because I was already out 75 bucks, and I don't even _like_ salad. And then the bill came, and you–"

"I ... I paid." Callie said, beginning to realize what had transpired.

"Do you know what I was doing before they brought over the check? I was counting in my head trying to figure out how I was gonna buy food for the rest of the week if my half was 75 bucks, because I don't have an extra 75 bucks, because I am a mechanic, Callie. And all of the extra money I make, whatever miniscule amount that is, goes to the enormous amount of student loans hanging over my head. I am broke–"

"Student loans? You went to college?" Callie immediately regretted asking that. She could see the hurt wash over Arizona's face before she steeled herself, pretending that she was invincible.

She couldn't let Callie know that she actually was incredibly fragile.

"I-I didn't mean it like that. I swear." Callie was scared to move or breathe, because she'd probably just screw something up again.

Arizona didn't know what she could say. Yes, plenty of mechanics didn't have a college degree, and there was nothing wrong with that. But in the two weeks she'd been seeing Callie, did she come across so uneducated that it was so hard to even fathom she'd been to college?

"Yes, I did. Princeton, actually. I graduated three years ago."

"Princeton? As in–"

"The Ivy League school? Yes. _That_ Princeton. Contrary to popular belief, I'm not stupid." Arizona rolled her eyes. She hated being underestimated, especially by the girl she'd been trying so hard to impress.

"Arizona, of course you're not stupid. I didn't mean it like that. It just never occurred to me. Please..." Callie almost plead, a feeling of guilt washing over her.

"And I am exhausted, Callie. I'm working on a Sunday because I need the money. And I just smashed my freaking hand, so I don't know how I'll be able to work this week, and I am fried. I wanted to stay in last night. I thought... I thought that last night would be the night for us. You know, _our night_. But you wanted to go to a fancy restaurant, and I-I can't do that. I can't." Arizona said, sounding utterly defeated.

"Hey, it's okay. It's okay," Callie said, kneeling beside Arizona and placing a gentle hand on her jean-clad thigh. "So, we'll stay in. And we'll eat ...sandwiches."

"You don't even like sandwiches," Arizona was fighting back tears at this point.

"But I like the girl who has the sandwiches," Callie said, tentatively brushing a rogue tear from Arizona's cheek with the pad of her thumb. "Okay?"

"Okay," Arizona said with a soft smile, leaning into Callie's touch. "No, you know what? I don't like sandwiches either. I like ...pizza."

Callie's lips quirked into a smile. "I like pizza, too. Now, will you let me take a look at that hand?"

Arizona bit her lip and reluctantly nodded.

XXX

As the pain continued to set in, Callie finally convinced the stubborn mechanic to go to the ER to have her hand treated. One tetanus shot, eleven stitches, and plenty of painkillers later, and Arizona was like a new woman, sporting a brand new pink cast, which went from the middle of her forearm to the top of her first two fingers. The X-rays showed that Arizona had a small fracture to the neck of her third metacarpal, but it didn't need any reduction. There was some leeway, but given the nature of her work and the possibility of sustaining further damage, the orthopedic surgeon decided to cast it, and Callie watched him closely, asking an abundance of questions. Callie told Arizona that she was just being thorough, which wasn't entirely untrue, but she also had a professional curiosity. His technique was masterful. The doctor suggested that Arizona come back two weeks later to remove the cast so they could see how everything was healing.

After the four hour ordeal in the remarkably inefficient ER, Callie and Arizona were on the couch in Arizona's living room, halfway through a box of pizza. Callie was almost finished with her psychiatry paper, working on Arizona's MacBook, which, naturally, had butterfly stickers on the front. Arizona was still loopy and now sleepy due to the painkillers and the rapid carb consumption. She was slumped against Callie, wiggling at her fingers that weren't in the cast, mesmerized.

"Thank you for taking me to the hospital, Calliope." Arizona said, resting her head on Callie's shoulder. She had a goofy grin on her face.

"What about me?" Tim asked, feigning offense.

"Timmy, you had to come. You're my brother. Now can you go away?"

"What? Why?" Tim asked.

"Because I wanna kiss Calliope now," Arizona simply answered.

Tim scoffed. "You can kiss her in front of me."

"Not the way I want to," Arizona said in a sing-songy voice. "With tongue," she attempted to whisper just to Callie, but it was very much audible to all parties.

"Right now? In our living room? While you're high as a kite?"

Arizona nodded. "I'm gonna do this whether you're here or not, Tim-bo."

With that, Tim went to his room, muttering something about watching the highlights from the game.

Once they heard his bedroom door shut behind him, Arizona tried to crane her neck to kiss Callie, but found that her head felt too heavy for her body, weakened by drugs and exhaustion. She groaned in frustration, and brought her head back to Callie's shoulder.

Callie just laughed softly.

"A little help here?" Arizona asked.

Callie brought her hand around to support Arizona's head, her fingers gripping silky blonde hair. She brought her lips in for a kiss, and however brief and chaste, it did not disappoint.

Callie's heart raced. Kissing Arizona made her feel like she'd never kissed another woman before. It was like her first kiss over and over again. The right kiss.

Then Arizona unceremoniously giggled against Callie's lips.

"What?" Callie asked, resting her forehead against Arizona's with a smile.

"It feels like the entire world is spinning."

"That would be the drugs," Callie supplied.

"No, I think it's just you. You make my world spin." Even bordering on incoherence, Arizona was very charming. "Mmm, I'm sleepy," Arizona rested her head on Callie's shoulder.

"I should probably get going, then. Do you want me to get Tim? You need more meds at ten." Callie moved to get up, but Arizona's good hand pulled her back down with surprising strength. Sometimes Callie forgot that the sight blonde's line of work necessitated that.

"Stay, please?" Arizona asked. "Timmy would be a crap doctor. You're almost a doctor already, plus you're really, really nice to look at."

Callie laughed. "Okay. I'll stay."

"Good," Arizona said, moving to rest her head on Callie's lap.

Callie smiled, running her fingers through her hair. God, Arizona had incredible hair.

The subsequent hours might not have been the most productive hours she put into studying, but it just felt right. Like a piece of her that she didn't realize was empty had just been filled. Everytime she looked at the sleeping blonde in her lap, she felt butterflies and her breath caught in her throat. She was utterly magnificent.

Nearly an hour later, Arizona's eyes fluttered open slowly.

"Hey, sleeping beauty," Callie said softly.

"Are you watching me sleep?" Arizona's voice was raspy.

"You're beautiful," Callie explained.

Arizona cocked an eyebrow. "I'm high on pain meds and I smell like car grease and hospital."

"You're still beautiful." Callie insisted.


End file.
